Ergonomic Support Structure for Human Body Parts and Method of Manufacturing Same

ABSTRACT

An ergonomic support structure, particularly for supporting parts of the human body. The structure ( 1 ) comprises a main body ( 2 ) with a viscoelastic insert ( 2 ) permanently anchored thereto. The main body ( 2 ) has at least one first layer ( 4 ) made of a material selected from those having a relatively low density and a relatively high mechanical strength, which is associated to at least one second layer of polymer resin for monolithically anchoring said at least one insert ( 3 ). A process for making the above structure.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention finds application in the field of mechanical structures made of special materials, and particularly relates to an ergonomic support structure.

Furthermore, the invention relates to a process for making the above structure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Cover pads of foam material are known to be used to enhance comfort and ergonomic benefit of support structures, such as bicycle saddles, car seats or the like.

Nevertheless, this solution is unacceptably uncomfortable, inconvenient, and aesthetically prejudicial for the structure.

In an attempt to obviate the above drawbacks, gel inserts are being increasingly used at the areas subjected to the highest pressure by users, to provide comfort where this is most needed. Gel is preferable as compared with foam, due to its higher viscoelasticity and better ergonomic properties.

WO2004-089682 discloses an ergonomic cushion for motor vehicle seats, having gel inserts at the ischial regions.

One drawback of this prior art structure is that, although it is undoubtedly comfortable and resilient, the fabric sheath that encapsulates the gel tends to be easily cut and ruptured, with gel tending to leak therefrom. Furthermore, the gel insert, which would be pleasant to the sight, is covered thereby.

An additional general problem is that the cushion is separate from the seat, and therefore it is uncomfortable and makes the structure bulkier.

Other technically equivalent arrangements are known from US-2004-098806, U.S. Pat. No. 4,197,342, U.S. Pat. No. 6,009,578.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,454,352 discloses a car seat with encapsulated gel pads, capable of deformation when in contact with moving parts of a user.

While this solution is convenient and not exposed to undesired damaging, it has the drawback of incorporating a pad, which makes the structure bulkier and unpleasant to the view.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of this invention is to overcome the above drawbacks, by providing a support structure that is highly efficient and relatively cost-effective.

A particular object is to provide a support structure having a light weight and a high strength.

A further object is to provide a support structure that can be customized, i.e. adapted to the anthropometric structure of any user whatever.

Another object of the invention is to provide a support structure that is pleasant to the sight.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a highly practical and cost-effective process for making the structure of the invention.

These objects, as well as other objects that will be more apparent hereafter, are fulfilled by an ergonomic support structure, according to claim 1, which comprises a main body with a viscoelastic insert permanently anchored thereto, wherein the main body has at least one first layer made of a material selected from those having a relatively low density and a relatively high mechanical strength, said first layer being associated to at least one second layer of polymer resin, for monolithically anchoring said at least one insert.

Thanks to this particular configuration, the structure of the invention has a very light weight and enhanced sturdiness, and allows to avoid the use of pads, that were used as comfort elements in prior art structures. This allows to make structures that are both comfortable and of a very light weight.

Furthermore, the structure of the invention is highly comfortable, particularly suitable for the fabrication of bicycle saddles, car seats, chairs, wrist supports or the like.

Advantageously, this at least one insert may be placed over said at least one first layer to define a free contact surface for the user suitable of controlled deformation.

Thanks to this feature, the structure of the invention meets the needs of various users, regardless of specific anthropometric structures of the parts of human bodies in contact with the structure. The natural ergonomic properties of the viscoelastic material allow the structure to be easily and comfortable adapted to anyone.

Also, the lack of a pad provides an assembly that is highly pleasing to the sight, a non-negligible advantage in the field of sports and leisure, which is highly influenced by fashion and aesthetics.

Suitably, the structure of the invention may have a thermoplastic cover layer, placed over said at least one insert and the top surface of said at least one first layer.

Thanks to this feature, the structure is highly pleasant to the touch and safe, as it protects users from any rupture of the first layer which might otherwise have dangerous structural discontinuities and injure the users.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a process for making an ultralight ergonomic support structure like the one disclosed above, according to claim 10, which includes the steps of: providing a mold having an inner cavity of a predetermined shape which corresponds to the external configuration of a main body of a support structure; opening said mold and laying thereon at least one first layer made of a material selected from those having a relatively low density and a relatively high mechanical strength; placing at least one third layer of a polymer material having relatively high adhesive properties on said at least one first layer; placing at least one viscoelastic insert in said mold; placing at least one second layer of a polymer resin; sealing said mold and heating it to a predetermined operating temperature; cooling said mold to a predetermined final temperature and opening said mold and removing the finished support structure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features and advantages of the invention will be more apparent from the detailed description of a preferred, non-exclusive embodiment of a structure according to the invention, which is described by way of non-limiting example with reference to the annexed drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an axonometric view of a support structure according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is an axonometric view of a detail of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectioned view of the structure of the invention, as taken along a plane

FIG. 4 is another sectioned view of the structure of the invention, as taken along a plane IV-IV;

FIG. 5 shows a flowchart of a process for making the support structure of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the above figures, the structure of the invention, generally designated by numeral 1, may be, for instance, a part of a chair, a bicycle saddle, a wrist support or a car seat, as shown in FIG. 1.

Typically, the structure 1 comprises a main body 2, with the viscoelastic insert 3, preferably made of polyurethane gel, permanently anchored thereto. This defines a free contact surface S for the user and, thanks to its natural ergonomic properties, it may be freely placed at the contact areas between the user and the structure 1. The main body 2 may include, for instance, a first layer 4 associated to a second layer 5.

Particularly, the member 4 has a low density and a high mechanical strength, i.e. a high resistance to compressive and/or tensile and/or bending and/or torsional and/or shearing stresses. Furthermore, as is known, the second layer 5 is essentially composed of one or more thermoplastic or thermosetting resins, possibly reinforced.

According to the invention, the first layer 4 may include a metal sheet 6, e.g. made of titanium, aluminum, stainless steel, magnesium or the like, associated to the layer 5, and wholly or partly covered thereby, as shown in FIG. 3.

In accordance with this configuration of the invention, the inserts 3 may be anchored by an adhesive polymer film 8, which is used to bind the insert 3 and the sheet 6, as shown in FIG. 4.

In this case, to allow handling of the insert 3, the latter may be covered by a protective layer 9 of a material adapted to oppose its high inherent adhesiveness, such as a polyurethane paint.

Advantageously, the structure 1 may have a thermoplastic cover layer 10, having protection functions.

Suitably, the layer 10 may be transparent, so that the aesthetically pleasing connection between the material of the body 2 and the gel of the insert 3 is visible. A process for making the structure 1 includes the following steps.

In the first step a) a mold is provided, having an inner cavity of a predetermined shape, which corresponds to the external configuration of the main body 2 of the support structure.

Then, in step b), the mold is opened and the first layer 4 is laid thereon, and in step d) one or more inserts 3 are placed thereon after a step c) in which the adhesive 8 is applied on the member 4.

In step e) the second layer of polymer resin 5 is laid, to provide a monolithic structure. Conveniently, the cover layer 10 may be placed in the mold to protect the assembly, thereby providing the above mentioned advantages.

Then, in step f), the mold is hermetically sealed and heated to a predetermined operating temperature, which may be in a range of 20° C. to 300° C., and will preferably be of about 120° C. Such temperature will be typically close to the glass transition temperature of the resin layer 5. In this step, chemical and/or mechanical bonds will be formed to form a monolithic assembly from the body 2 and the inserts 3.

After a step g), in which the mold is cooled to a predetermined final temperature, in a range of 18° C. to 50° C., and preferably of about 20° C., the final step h) will follow, during which the mold is opened, and the finished support structure 1 is removed therefrom.

The above disclosure clearly shows that the structure of the invention fulfills the proposed objects and particularly meets the requirement of providing a highly comfortable and light support structure.

By using low density and high strength materials, in combination with the gel of the insert 3, a very comfortable structure is obtained, which is capable of fitting the anthropometric structure of any user whatever, while reducing the overall weight and maintaining sturdiness.

The structure of the invention is susceptible of a number of changes and variants, within the inventive concept disclosed in the appended claims. All the details thereof may be replaced by other technically equivalent parts, and the materials may vary depending on different needs, without departure from the scope of the invention.

While the structure has been described with particular reference to the accompanying figures, the numerals referred to in the disclosure and claims are only used for the sake of a better intelligibility of the invention and shall not be intended to limit the claimed scope in any manner. 

1. An ergonomic support structure for supporting parts of the human body, said structure comprising a main body with a viscoelastic insert permanently anchored thereto, wherein said main body comprises at least one first layer formed of a metal sheet, at least one second layer of polymeric material associated to said at least one first layer, and at least one third layer of a polymeric material interposed between said first layer and said at least one viscoelastic insert, wherein said viscoelastic insert is placed over said at least one first layer to define a free contact surface (S) that is susceptible of controlled deformation, and wherein said at least one third layer is directly applied to said first layer and has suitable adhesive properties to anchor said first layer to said viscoelastic insert.
 2. A structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said metal is selected from the group consisting of titanium, aluminum, stainless steel, and magnesium.
 3. A structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one second layer comprises one or more thermoplastic or thermosetting resins for monolithically anchoring said viscoelastic insert.
 4. A structure as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a thermoplastic cover layer placed over said viscoelastic insert.
 5. A structure as claimed in claim 4, wherein said cover layer is of the transparent type.
 6. A structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein said viscoelastic insert is made of a gel material.
 7. A structure as claimed in claim 6, wherein said gel comprises a polyurethane gel.
 8. A process for making an ergonomic support structure as claimed in claim 1, said method comprising the steps of: a) providing a mold having an inner cavity of a predetermined shape which corresponds to the external configuration of a main body of a support structure; b) opening said mold and laying thereon at least one first layer comprising a metal sheet; c) placing directly over said first layer at least one third layer of a polymer material; d) placing at least one viscoelastic insert in said mold directly over said at least one first layer; e) placing over said at least one viscoelastic insert at least one second layer; f) hermetically sealing said mold and heating it to a predetermined operating temperature; g) cooling said mold to a predetermined final temperature; h) opening said mold and removing the finished support structure therefrom; wherein said polymeric material of said third layer has suitable adhesive properties to anchor said first layer to said at least one viscoelastic insert.
 9. A process as claimed in claim 8, further comprising a step during which a thermoplastic cover layer is placed over said at least one viscoelastic insert.
 10. (canceled)
 11. A process as claimed in claim 8, wherein said predetermined final temperature is of 18° C. to 50° C.
 12. A process as claimed in claim 8, wherein said predetermined operating temperature is of 20° C. to 300° C.
 13. A process as claimed in claim 8, wherein said predetermined final temperature is of about 20° C.
 14. A process as claimed in claim 8, wherein said predetermined operating temperature is about 120° C. 